Style Blogging from Buffalo

Archive for the ‘Wishlist’ Category

Jack Carlson, author of the Dandy-favorite Rowing Blazers, has just launched his very own collection of rowing-inspired apparel line aptly named Rowing Blazers, and it looks AMAZING!

Comprised of classic rowing blazer styles and distressed shirts (all hand-made in the USA) as well as ties, belts, hats and wide range of vintage books and accessories, the collection blends classic ivy league style with a modern twist. The blazers have crossed-stitched latin motto’s hidden under the lapels, while the button down shirts have the same distressed look and feel as many of the blazers featured in Jack’s book. The tongue and cheek graphics used throughout the collection are spot on and I love the mixing of classic hip hop culture with vintage rowing books, pins and diving watches (more on that below).

As far as his inspiration behind the line, Jack has this to say:

” This collection is inspired by the traditions, myths, and rituals I discovered while writing the book Rowing Blazers. It’s also inspired by my collection of vintage blazers; my research in archaeology, heraldry, and classics; and my time at Oxford.

Today, virtually everyone owns a blazer. But few realize that the blazer has its origins in the sport of rowing. The original blazers-unlined flannel jackets with patch pockets, no vents and metal buttons-where the hoodies of their time. Everything about them served a practical function; even the loud colors were designed to help spectators tell which crew was which.

It was the one of these early rowing jackets – in “blazing” red – that gave us the word “blazer”. Early oarsmen developed an attachment to their blazers, and incorporated them into their daily dress on terra firm, where the were soon imitated by rugby players, cricket players and others. By the end of the 19th century, the blazer was s tape of any gentleman’s wardrobe.

Like the court liveries and armorial devices of medieval Europe, the street gang colors of Compton, and the patches and badges of the Hell’s Angels, rowing blazers are tribal totems. The are ceremonial vestments, worn to emphasize both community and difference: to impress, intimidate and influence.

Menswear is supposed to be meaningful,-every detail considered, nothing random. That’s how I approached this collection: meaningful, thoughtful, irreverent, cryptic.”

Take a look at some of the beautiful detailed shots and favorite pieces from his collection (which is already selling out) below. Seriously, this whole collection is fire. I want everything even though I’ve only ever rowed in Dragon Boat races. That counts, right?

One of our favorite local businesses, Oxford Pennant recently launched their first ever pop up shop for the holidays called The Victory Gardens. Partnering with many of the brands which Oxford Pennant has worked with in the past, their small retail space is perfectly curated with an impressively wide selection of goods which fit perfectly into Oxford’s in-house motto of “A Cabin In The Woods”, or more specifically “something you would want for your cabin in the woods.” Full of outdoor, vintage-inspired goods like blankets, custom painted paddles (and hockey stocks!!!), travel mugs, bags, bottle openers, candles, cologne, patches, t-shirts, sweaters, an incredible blanket-lined denim jacket, Oxford Pin-ants, and of course their entire Pennant catalog, this pop up is a must-stop-shop for Buffalonians looking for unique quality gifts.

The shop is open Monday-Saturday from 12-8 at their 43 W Tupper St headquarters in downtown Buffalo. You won’t be disappointed.

Welp, might as well kick off the Christmas Wish List with this bad boy. Today (Wednesday November 16th) at noon, Mondo will be releasing one of my all time favorite soundtracks, The Dust Brothers score to David Fincher’s masterpiece Fight Club.

Designed to the point of brilliance, the packaging boasts an array of references to the movie like destroying the initial housing to get the record out, Project Mayhem illustration manual, Paper Street Soap Co. branding throughout and of course, the LP’s are Fight Club Soap pink.

Read more about the release here and check out the unboxing video below.$35

I’m not a huge sneaker guy, but damn these new Nike Air Force 1 Boots look incredible and I need…NEED a pair for Fall.

Born in 1982, the Air Force 1 has long been a force to be reckoned with. Long past its days on the wood, the classic Air Force 1 is now built for the future to deliver urban utility in a military-inspired design.

The SF AF1 features a ballistic nylon upper that’s as tough as it gets for use in all conditions. The dual ankle straps are removable, allowing for a custom look. At the tongue, is an espionage pocket built for easy storage. An exclusive, military-inspired carry bag is included, complete with removable straps. Available online this Saturday at 10am and apparently sneakers sell out fast or something so you may want to jump on these.

Looks like Visvim went full Dandy and decided to collaborate with Harris Tweed to create a handful of beautiful looking tweed jackets. Handwoven by the inhabitants of the Outer Hebrides off the coast of Scotland, Harris Tweed is sought after due to its resistant, thermal properties and rich history. Hand-woven tweed made its way to the upper echelons of British society in the 19th century, only to be endangered by surging market demands that precipitated mill-spun tweed production. In a bid to protect Harris Tweed authenticity, the Harris Tweed Association was established in 1993, enabling native Scottish crofters and cottars to continue a tradition rooted in the spinning and dying of pure virgin wool.

The move to preserve Harris Tweed as a hand-woven material from the Outer Hebrides runs parallel with the level of hereditary practices of craftsmanship passed down by generations of Japanese tailors. The appeal of Harris Tweed to a brand such as Visvim is thus self-evident. Hiroki Nakamura’s label presents four pieces made from genuine Harris Tweed: the Dotera Coat, Hopiland Blazer, Nome P.O. Dress and Sanjuro Jacket. Watch the documentary below from visvim.tv for a brief vignette of the age-old manufacturing process.

I might have to get my hands on some tweed in the coming weeks and try making one of these for Winter.

As I’m sure you’ve noticed from some of the recent outfit posts on the blog and BD Instagram, these past few seasons I’ve been more and more obsessed with longer sweaters and jackets, particularly ones of the Japanese kimono variety. One of the most revered brands which specializes in this style of jacket is Visvim and their Sanjuro jackets. While these garments are beautiful to look at and undoubtedly exceptionally made, the price range for the majority of these coats is astronomical. Like $1,000 astronomical. Not gonna happen.

While I’ve been salivating over one of these for a while and playing with the idea of scouring sites like Grailed.com for a used one, I wasn’t even sure if I would like how it looked on me once I got it. Then I remembered, oh wait, I can totally just sew one of these myself for like $20. So that’s what I did. After doing some research on kimono and noragi jackets (which I found out was the correct term for what I was trying to make) I acquired the right kind of mid-weight denim I was looking for and got to work. Naturally this took a little longer than usual to make because my sewing time had to revolve around waiting the wife and I put the kids to bed, but once I got back into the swing of staying up late and flexing the old sewing muscles I realized just how much I had missed making my own clothes.

I chose to keep the edges of the eri (collar) raw, for both a contrast and distressed look and I kept the sleeves longer than the standard workwear shortened length so I could roll the sleeves if I wanted. While the final result is far from perfect, that was a great way to give this style of outerwear a test drive without breaking the bank. Plus the fact that I can say “yeah I made this” never gets old.

If you are digging this style of jacket and are curious of where to get one, I’ve picked out some of my favorite options below. Like I said, been obsessing over these for a while.

Noted watch geek, devote Visvim collector and currently one of my favorite style icons (don’t judge me), John Mayer recently launched a Jewelry collection with unisex accessories maker George Frost. Now, anyone can just go and throw some beads on a necklace and call it a day, but each of the pieces in this collection actually have something cool hidden in the design.

For example, his two wooden and glass African bead necklaces actually contain a morse code message using the different colored beads as letters. One spells out “LOVE IS A VERB” and another “BORN AND RAISED”. His silver pendant, when spun, also spells out “LOVE IS A VERB”. His beaded bracelets once again uses morse code to spell out “BORN”, “RAISED” and his initials “JM”. Finally, he has a woven bracelet which uses a piece of 3M reflective thread mixed in with waxed linen.

Each piece is moderately priced for what this type of jewelry is typically going for, between $50 and $150 and I’m not sure if it’s required that you be a fan of John’s music to actually wear this stuff. At the very least, it could serve as some cool inspiration to make your own jewelry using morse code, which in all honesty, I think I might want to try.

One of my favorite watch blogs Worn & Wound recently reviewed a new watch from Swedish brand Nezumi Studios dubbed “The Voiture”. Inspired by the chronographs from the 60’s and 70’s racing era, the First Edition Voiture is powered by a mechanical-quartz movement made by Seiko. Worn & Wound’s in-depth review is exceptional and the photos he took are equally so. Head over to their site for a full rundown of this timepiece which is currently available for preorder in three different color ways. Consider this watch very high on my wish list.

I want thaaaaat…. Filson has been absolutely killing it with their watches lately and their newest collaboration is no exception. Introducing the Limited Edition Smokey Bear Watch.

Filson has worked with many industries and organizations over the past 119 years, but some of our most special relationships have been with the men and women who work in the woods. This year, we celebrate one of our nation’s most beloved outdoorsmen with a special, limited-edition Smokey Bear Watch. This individually-numbered watch is boxed with a collection of Smokey Bear goods. Each watch comes with a certificate of authenticity, a book that tells the story of Smokey Bear and Filson’s relationship with the outdoors, and six postcards of reimagined, vintage Smokey posters.

FEATURES

Four piece, bolt-reinforced roller buckle style closure

Stainless steel case back with brass PVD plating and Filson logo is secured by six screws

Our favorite milliner Nick Fouquet just launched his newly redesigned website which includes (at long last) an online store! The fact that I can now order my own Nick Fouquet hat online makes me happier than words can say, however that feeling quickly vanishes when I realize the cost of the hats start at over $1000… Soul-crushing is a word I would use.

Still, if you have some money saved up or if dropping a cool G is no big deal to you, I suggest heading over to Nick’s revamped site and start picking one out. I’ve selected my top favorite designs from his Spring 16 line below to help with your decision making process. All kidding aside, seeing these hats up close confirms that they truly are works of art and I really, really, really want one.

Lifestyle blogging from Buffalo where I live with my beautiful wife, our adorable french bulldog, a son who has a penchant for wearing capes and a beautiful baby girl who is practicing to be a debutante.